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DO NOT CONFUSE NON PROGRESSIVE VERBS AND PROGRESSIVE VERBS

NON PROGRESSIVE VERBS

Some verbs are no progressive because they are not used in any of the progressive tenses. These verbs describe states (i.e., conditions that exist). They are mental verbs, emotional state, possession, sense, perception, and other existing states.

1. Mental state: know, realize, understand, recognize, believe, feel*, suppose, think*, imagine, doubt, remember, forget, want, need, prefer, mean
2. Emotional state: love, like, appreciate, hate, dislike, fear, envy, mind, care
3. Possession: possess, have*, own, belong
4. Sense and perception: taste*, smell*, hear, feel*, see*
5. Other existing states: seem, look*, appear*, cost, owe, weigh*, be*, exist, consist of, contain, include

Verbs with asterisk are also commonly used as progressive verbs, with a difference in meaning, as in the following examples:

No progressive (existing state) Progressive (activity in progress)

Think I think is a kind man. I am thinking about this grammar.

Have He has a car. I am having trouble.

Taste The food tastes good. The chef is tasting the sauce.

Smell These flowers smell good. Don is smelling roses.

See I see a butterfly. Do you see it? The doctor is seeing a patient.

Feel The cat’s fur feels soft. Sue is feeling the cat’s fur.

Look She looks cold. I am looking out the window.

VERBS FOLLOWED BY GERUNDS

Admit- advise- anticipate- appreciate- avoid- complete- consider- delay- deny- discuss- dislike- enjoy- finish- forget- can’t help- keep- mention- mind- miss- postpone- practice- quit- recall- recollect- recommend- regret- remember- resent-resist- risk- stop- suggest-tolerate- understand.

GO + GERUND

Go: bird watching, boating, bowling, camping, canoeing, dancing, fishing, hiking, hunting, jogging, mountain climbing, running, sailing, shopping, sightseeing, skating, skiing, sledding, swimming, tobogganing, window shopping

VERBS FOLLOWED BY INFINITIVES

Afford-agree- appear- arrange- ask-beg- care- claim-consent-decide-demand-deserve-expect-fail-forget- hesitate- hope-learn-manage-mean-need-offer-plan-prepare-pretend-promise-refuse-regret-remember-seem-struggle-swear-threaten-volunteer-wait-want-wish.

COMMON VERBS FOLLOWED BY EITHER INFINITIVES OR GERUND

Verb + infinitive or gerund with no difference in meaning

Begin, like, hate, start, love, can’t stand, continue, prefer*, can’t bear

Examples: it began to rain or it began raining. I started to work or I started working.

It was beginning to rain (if the main verb is progressive, an infinitive is required.

Prefer + gerund: I prefer staying home to going to the concert.

Prefer + infinitive: I prefer to stay home than (to) go to the concert.

Verb + infinitive or gerund with a difference in meaning

Remember – regret- forget- try

I always remember to lock the door (remember + infinitive (remember to perform responsibility)

I remember seeing him. (Remember + gerund) means remember something that happened in the past

I will never forget seeing the Akagera Park. (forget + gerund) forget something that happened in the past.

I regret to tell you that you failed the test (regret+ infinitive) regret to say bad news

I regret lending him my money. (regret +gerund) regret something that happened in the past

I am trying to learn English (try + infinitive) make an effort

The room was hot. I tried opening the window, but that didn’t help. Try +gerund experiment with a new or different approach to see it works.